Electric switch



April Q4, v1939. F, Q DE REAMER 2,153,367

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. 14, 1956 3' W I r'lven bor-U.

swim FPanK VC. De Retamar,

- by@ f. 4M/m v Hi Attorney.

Patented Apr. 4, 1939 ELECTRIC SWITCH Frank C. De Reamer, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of g New AYork Application August 14, i936, Serial No. 96,058

` 4 claims. (ci. 'zoo-' s'n My invention relates to an electric switch and more particularly to an electric switch of the toggle operated type.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved switch having a longer life which may be manufactured economically.

What I consider to be novel and my invention will be better understood by reference to the fol-A lowing specication and appended claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing rin which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the switch; Fig. 2 is a side sectional view along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an exploded w view in perspective; Fig. 5 is a detail view of the rotary contact; and Fig. v6 is an end view.

Referring to the drawing, It indicates a base of insulating material having a central chamber Ii and side recesses I2 terminating in V-shaped 25 of two terminal plates I8 and I 9. Terminal plates I8 and I9rest against shoulders 2,0 and 2| respectively around side openings of chamber- II and extend into slots 22 and 23 in the bottom yof base IIJ. Contact` I5 is secured to terminal plate I9 ,30 by integral projections 24 and 25 which are bent over into engagement with terminal |9. Contact i4 is similarly secured to terminal plate I 8. `Con- 1 tacts I4 and I5 are connected together by a connector 26 which is seglred to terminal plate I8 35 byV a screw 21 and secured to plate I9 by screw 28. Screw 28 also serves as a binding screw to connect a conductor to contacts I4 and I5. With the two contacts I4 and I5 connected together the switch is adapted for use as a single pole 40 switch. When it is desired to use the switch .as a double pole switch the connector 26 is omitted. When a switch is used as a double pole switch it is highly desirable to insure the simultaneous connection of-the circuit through the two contacts.

5 For example, if one side of the circuit was completed through contact I4 before contact I5 was engaged then the whole of the arc produced on the making of the contact would be carried by contact I5 which in the case of use with gas lled 50 lamps would be considerable and would result in the destruction of the contact. To insure the proper positioning of the two contacts I4 and I5 with respect to each other and thus insure a simultaneous connection throughthese contacts a plate 29 of insulating` material is provided with slots I3 at the bottom. Stationary contacts I4 that the life f the switch is greatly increased arcs. by means yof aispring5l and an operating handle slots 30 and 3i which cooperate with the plates I8 and I9 respectively to hold the contacts I4 and i5 in exact alignment. Stationaryv contacts i6 and I1 are similarly secured in position by means of terminal plates 32 and 33 which engage 5 in slots 34 and 35 respectively of plate 29. The operating mechanism consists of a U-shaped operating lever 36 with integral trunnions 31 and 38 which pivot in the V-shaped slots I3 of base I9. Two insulating discs 39 and 40 are carried 10 by lever 36 by means of projections 4I and 42 which extend into corresponding slots 43 and 44 f of discs 39 'and 40. Disc 40 carries a contact 45 in a recess 46 by means of tangs 41 and 48 which extend'into slots 49 and 50. The recessl46 is suf- 15 ciently deep so that the surface of contact 45 is flush with the surface of the disc 40. By this arrangement, it has been found that the life of the switch can be greatly extended due to the fact that when the bridging contact 45 moves'into engagementwith the stationary contacts it does not move the stationary `contacts transversely and .1 so does not tend to produce any arcs upon the momentary makngand breaking of the circuit as the contact is made. By test, it has been found by eliminating the possibility of such momentary The movement of lever 36 is accomplished 52 pivoted in a threaded nozzle 53.- Nozzle 53 is ri' secured to a metal plate 54. Metal plate 54 is secured to base I0 together with a plate 55 of insulating material by means of screws 56 and 51.

From the foregoing it may be seen that a switch of simple construction which is economical to manufacture has been produced and has been provided with an improved arrangement of securing the contacts in position to reduce the arc on the making and breaking of the circuit and thus prolong the life of the switch.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters .Patents of the United States, is:

1. An electric switch' comprising a base of in sulating material having a central chamber and a side opening communicating therewith, stationary contacts extending into said central chamber, a terminal plate for securing each of said y contacts in position by engagement'with shoulders around the side opening of said chamber and seated in a slot in said base, and a plate of insulating material secured to said base and having slots to engage each of the terminal plates for properly positioning the stationary contacts with respect to each other. y

2. An electric switch comprising a base of insuf lating material having a central chamber and a side opening communicating therewith, stationary contacts extending into said chamber, terminal plates for mounting said contacts resting against a. shoulder Laround the side opening of said chamber and seated in slots in said base, a plate of insulatingmaterial having slots for engaging the opposite ends of each of the terminal plates for properly positioning the stationary contacts, an operating lever pivoted in slots in the sides of said base, discs of insulating material secured to opposite sides of said lever, rotary contacts secured in recesses in said discs with the outer surfaces flush with the surfaces of the discs, a spring connected to said lever, a plate secured to said base, and an operating handle pivoted in said plate engaging said spring for moving the operating lever from one position toanother.

3. An electric switch comprising a base of insulating material having `a central chamber and a side opening communicating therewith, stationary contacts extending into said central chamber, a terminal plate secured at right angles to each of said contacts and mounted in a slot in said base chamber and a side opening communicating,

therewith, stationary contacts extending into said chamber, terminal plates for mounting said contacts, said plates being positioned in said side opening, a plate having slots for engaging the ends of said terminal plates for properly positioning the stationary contacts, an operating lever pivoted in said base, members of insulating material secured to opposite sides of said lever, said mem#- bers having recesses formed therein, contacts s ecured in said recesses with their outer surfaces ush with the surfaces of the members, and means for moving the operating lever to engage and disengage the pivoted contacts with said stationary contacts.

FRANK C. DE REAMER. 

